We all wish the muse would speak to us more often.
That it would whisper the perfect words in our ear, guide our hand across the canvas, set us on automatic mode as it takes over and does the work.
Once we’ve tasted that flow state once, where it feels as though something other than us is in control, we long to experience it every time we sit down to work.
This is often the source of our very best work after all, when we feel connected to something greater than ourselves. Something expansive, universal.
And so we’re tempted to wait for it. To hold off on doing the work until the muse speaks to us.
What we fail to realize is that creating meaningful work is not about being the muse’s translator. It’s about participating in a protracted conversation with the muse.
And in a conversation, both parties need to carry the load.
Sometimes, when the muse is silent, we need to do the talking, to show up and do the work without external guidance or input.
Sometimes that work is good.
Sometimes it’s utter garbage. When it is, we simply need to keep up our end of the conversation, keep blathering on until the muse finally interjects, smacks us over the head, and says, “Will you shut up and listen already? It’s my turn to speak.”
Who knows how long you’ll have to carry the conversation on your own before the muse responds.
But as with any conversation, the one we carry on with the muse is most productive, most natural when there are two willing and eager participants.
It’s always hardest to break the silence.
But if it needs to be broken, better to be the one to do it.
Explore how to navigate a creative life that matters
This article originally appeared in my weekly Creative Wayfinding Newsletter. Each issue is the product of a week of work, and contains something not available for sale.
A fresh perspective, a shot of encouragement when you need it most, and maybe even some genuine wisdom from time to time.
Each week, we explore a different facet of the question “How do we navigate the wilds of creating work that matters?”
It’s something I’m proud to create and I’d be honoured to share it with you.
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